GMO consensus – what consensus!

What about the GMO consensus

Vegan GMO and I suppose other similar pressure groups, continuously claim a pro GMO consensus. But does this GMO consensus really exist? Well our lovely Tory Environment minister, Owen Paterson, would have you believe so. However, even the nasty Daily Mail isn’t sure. It reports that

Eighty-five scientists have joined forces to challenge the claims of biotech giants and the UK government that GM food is safe for humans.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who has responsibility for food and farming, and the industry have embarked on a huge public relations exercise to win over a sceptical public to genetically modified food.

They warn that most of the positive research has been run and paid for by biotech companies such as Monsanto, which have invested millions in trying to get the world to eat their crops.

Professor Brian Wynne, of Lancaster University, said: ‘There is no consensus amongst scientific researchers over the health or environmental safety of GM crops and foods, and it is misleading and irresponsible for anyone to claim that there is.

‘Many salient questions remain open, while more are being discovered and reported by independent scientists.’

So that would be Professor Brian Wynne of Lancaster University. According to Wikipedia in a Google search for his name he is

Professor of Science Studies and Research Director of the Centre for the Study of Environmental Change at the University of Lancaster

I guess that would make him a scientist but there are more objections. From the Scribd link to the full press release above, Dr. Angelika Hilbeck, chairperson of the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) says

The statement draws attention to the diversity of opinion over GMOs in the scientific community and the often contradictory or inconclusive findings of studies on GMO safety. These include toxic effects on laboratory animals fed GM foods, increased pesticide use from GM crop cultivation, and the unexpected impacts of Bt insecticidal crops on beneficial and non-target organisms

That looks like there are at least three issues on which there is NO GMO consensus. Ahem, Vegan GMO, what consensus? By over-simplifying the issue and claiming consensus where it doesn’t exist Monsanto stooges like Vegan GMO use tabloid tactics to push their hateful agenda.